Bishop’s letter “incredulous” at lack of government action over Gaza and West Bank
February 2026
Three Anglican bishops have today (2nd February) written a letter published in the Guardian in which they express dismay at government inaction over Gaza and events on the West Bank.
“Having returned from another visit to Palestine, we are incredulous that the UK government has still not published its legal response to the international court of justice’s advisory opinion in July 2024. This inaction has contributed to a culture of impunity that the Israeli government has used to accelerate its de facto annexation of the West Bank.
“Its instruments are administrative changes, continuous settlement expansion and growth, intensifying violence by Israeli troops and settler militia, the localised system of road closures, house demolitions, tightening access to water and electricity, deepening legal segregation and an unequal system of governance.
“While world leaders met in Davos to debate futuristic plans for the reconstruction of Gaza, which are largely disconnected from reality, we visited and listened to Palestinian Christian communities across the West Bank on their lived experience. Once more, we have heard from families living in fear and torment – an unending nightmare where they are denied even minimal dignity. The violence has robbed them of the ability to earn a living and provide for their families.
“Terrorised to the point of fearing for their lives, there is no one to protect them. Faced with such abandonment, and denied any agency as to their future, many now feel they have no choice but to leave or to die standing. This seems to be the Israeli government’s intentional strategy.
“The international community must uphold its obligations under international law to protect Palestinians. The only way is to uphold the ICJ advisory opinion. Having formally recognised the state of Palestine, the British government must publish its response and take all necessary measures “not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”, as the court stipulated.
“The situation in the West Bank is a tragedy foretold. We must stand up and do the right thing before it’s too late”.
The Rt Rev Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani Bishop of Chelmsford; The Rt Rev Rachel Treweek Bishop of Gloucester; The Rt Rev Graham Usher Bishop of Norwich
Readers of our earlier posts about British government’s complicity in the violence and its continued political, military and diplomatic support will be aware of the shameful role our government has and is playing in the genocide taking place there.
The vigils continue in Salisbury and around 25 braved the cold and rain on Saturday 31st January to hold the 113th such event. A fragile ceasefire continues to hold and plans are continuing for the Board of Peace. 492 have died since the October ceasefire and the total dead is now put at 71,660 by the Hamas Health Ministry. On this, news this week that the IDF has now accepted this as a correct figure having decried the statistics since 2023. A further 10,000 are thought to be under the rubble unaccounted for. Throughout the conflict, Israel has claimed it is engaged in targeted strikes and reports of indiscriminate attacks are according to Netanyahu, a ‘blood libel’.
The UN has reported that the ceasefire is making a difference as more aid is getting in to the territory. They say the famine is being reversed although aid is insufficient to meet all needs. Foreign media have not been allowed into Gaza preventing verification of claims and the reporting of facts on the ground. The Foreign Press Association has launched a claim in the Israel Supreme Court to allow journalists in now that a ceasefire is in place. They argue it is absurd to prevent journalists from entering.
We have noted in previous posts that despite 113 vigils having taken place, there has been no sign of the local MP Mr John Glen at any of them and he has never mentioned their existence in his weekly column in the local paper the Salisbury Journal. About 2 weeks ago, an attendee of the vigils wrote to him for an answer but has not received a reply. Mr Glen is thought to be a member of the influential and well-funded Conservative Friends of Israel organisation as are a number of Labour and LibDem MPs. About 80% of conservative members are thought to be members. The question is whether being a member of this group overrides his role as the local MP employed to represent his constituent’s interests, not those of a foreign power?
The board consists of a large number of doubtful characters
Our vigils continue
January 2026
The ‘Board of Peace’ was announced last week and a row of potential members lined up at Davos to be photographed. It appears to consist of a collection of some doubtful characters and leaders of countries some with dire human rights records. Perhaps the name ‘Tyrants R Us’ might be more appropriate.
It’s chances of success seem minimal. The chair – in perpetuity it seems – is president Trump of America
who decides on membership, the agenda and his successor. This must be unique in the history of international organisations. Those invited include a range of leaders and royalty many of whom have blood on their hands, who suppress opposition, arrest human rights defenders, execute large numbers of their citizens, do not allow a free media to operate and whose police and security services regularly use torture. That the word ‘peace’ is attached to them is an oxymoron.
Since the board was supposed to be concerned with Gaza and the future of Palestine, the absence of a Palestinian representative at a senior level is beyond absurd. A fundamental question is whether Israel wants peace and it certainly does not want a Palestinian state. Their reaction to the proposal from Netanyahu’s office who have said this was “not coordinated with Israel and runs contrary to its policy“. Not to have involved Israel seems also to be absurd.
Of much greater significance however is the future of what was the rules based world order instituted after the war and led to the foundation of the UN. It appears that the Board of Peace is not just confined to the future of Gaza but is to become a kind of ersatz UN. The Charter, published by the Times of Israel, makes no mention of Gaza in the preamble. Most European countries have declined membership and see it as an alternative UN and controlled by Trump. The logo is modelled on the UN but with the USA at its core. Many will agree with Mark Carney who said in his Davos speech that we were ‘in the midst of a rupture not a transition’.
This does not bode well for Gaza or indeed other conflicts around the world. What if the president of this Board of Peace decides to invade Greenland? Will the other board members pass a motion to force him to resign? It looks as though they would not be able to since he appoints himself and them.
Salisbury vigil
Our vigils continue and Saturday was our 112th. Despite the cold and wet, around 25 turned out. We see no end to the misery which is Gaza. More have been killed despite the ceasefire.
Talk to the Salisbury group about his new book ‘Complicit’
January 2026
The Amnesty International Salisbury Group invited the noted journalist and author Peter Oborne to speak about his recently published book* ‘Complicit: Britain’s Role in the Destruction of Gaza’ which describes in detail the extent to which British governments and media have supported the Israeli government presentation of events in Gaza since the massacre in October 2023. The event, held in the Methodist Church, was very well attended, with an audience of around 80. Following his presentation there was an opportunity for the audience to ask questions. Thirty copies of his book quickly sold out.
Asked about the motivation for writing the book, Mr Oborne (on the right of the picture) said that the drive came to him while in Nablus in October 23, as a continuation of his previous work as a political journalist and critic of lying in politics and the pro-Israel lobby. He noted that the former prime minister Rishi Sunak had declared unequivocal support for Israel, and the current prime minister Sir Keir Starmer notoriously agreed that the Israelis ‘had the right to deny fuel and water to the Gazans’. This brought them into an alliance with the far right and right wing media.
The role of the United States as a factor was considered. This has affected the language that is used in the conflict. Sir Keir Starmer, it was noted, was a human rights lawyer, and a Corbynite [reference to Jeremy Corbyn, a previous leader of the Labour Party], who changed as soon as he became leader.
Asked how influential the Conservative Friends of Israel were, Mr. Oborne noted that as MPs they must be compromised and should not be part of the debate if receiving funding from them (Note: the Salisbury MP Mr. John Glen is a member of this group). The funding is significant and amount to around half a million pounds by some estimates. He observed that during the committee stage of a related bill, only pro-Israeli MPs were called.
Media bias
The discussion moved on to the question of misrepresentation of events in the media. The claim that Hamas had ‘beheaded babies’ was reported as fact in the Daily Mail and the Times, and such stories were used as a justification for deliberate targeting by the IDF. In general, war has always led to misreporting historically: the first casualty in war is truth. Lurid stories of baby killings were repeated in the Independent (!) and the Daily Express and repeated by the Israeli Ambassador and other politicians.
Q: how many babies were killed and beheaded? A: Two were killed, none beheaded. In his book Peter Oborne quotes research by the Israeli paper Haaretz which revealed one had been shot through a door and a second infant had died after delivery by Caesarean section and the mother had died as well. Terrible events but not the mass killing of babies which the British media had swallowed whole.
Even the BBC and broadsheet newspapers were guilty of misreporting, sometimes by omission rather than commission. In his book, Oborne describes the BBC’s coverage as ‘a reporting disaster and a moral calamity‘ (p51)
For example, no mention was ever made of the “Dahiya doctrine” of military destruction of civilian entities. The doctrine itself calls for the deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in order to induce suffering and severe distress throughout the targeted population. By targeting indiscriminately, the IDF hopes to deter further military attacks against Israel, destroy its enemies, as well as influence the population to oust the militants seen as the primary target. This seems to contradict Israeli claims of targeting actions against Hamas not civilians, a claim endlessly repeated by the media.
Why did British media consistently misreport events in the Gaza war Peter was asked? The fear of being called anti-Semitic is a factor in bias among reporters. The Israel lobby will respond immediately to critical comment and not all journalists recognize the rules of the game. The IDF will regularly challenge reporting of actual events. With most newspapers being pro-Israel, it is easier to report from that angle.
Israel accused UNRWA of employing and harbouring Hamas terrorists among its 17,000 staff. As a result, the British government immediately withdrew its support. UNWRA was the largest agency operating in Gaza and by closing their warehouses and distribution work it had a devastating effect on the lives of those living there. In the past few days, their HQ was demolished by Israel, and, although the UK reinstated its connection, the myth of Hamas involvement was never rejected.
Questions from the floor
Questions from the floor included the makeup of the IDF (the Israeli national army, but one with a substantial number of foreign volunteers) and the influence of Israel had over the USA and UK policy. He thought some but is was not overwhelming. In answer to a question, Mr. Oborne praised Mrs. Thatcher for her support of international law, something not sustained today, We are being let down by politicians, but some who have been supportive of the Palestinian cause were named along with alternative media. Asked about President Trump’s “Board of Peace”, it was considered to be not a serious venture, not least because there is still no genuine ceasefire.
On the question of whether the political classes will be held to account, the speaker’s view was that if not, then might would be right. If the International Court of Justice concludes that genocide has taken place, British politicians may be liable – although, since the Attorney-General was a government appointment he would have to take the case up and this is unlikely to happen. The possibility remains that other countries might decide to prosecute.
Mr. Oborne was thanked for coming to Salisbury and discussing his book.
Severe turmoil in Iran with grievous human rights abuses
January 2026
Events are moving fast on the world stage. Last week saw huge uprisings in many towns and cities throughout Iran with security forces using violence in an attempt to quell them. Numbers of dead are unknown due to the internet and phone cut offs but are estimated to be at least 2,000. Help was promised by the US president but so far none has appeared and it is difficult to imagine how outside help of any kind would improve matters.
In Gaza, violence continues and 450 have died since the ceasefire. Life for people living there is desperate with inadequate food and medical supplies and living in tented communities. Over 71,000 dead who are known about, thousands more lie in the rubble. Israel is reported to be considering a fresh assault on Gaza City.
News of the Board of Peace was available and names include Donald Trump as chair and other are Tony Blair, Marco Rubio. Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. There are no Palestinian names on the lists of the Board itself or on the subcommittees. Prospects for its success are dim. Vladimir Putin is reported to have been invited.
Vigil
We continue with our vigil and we held the 111th on Saturday with around 40 in attendance. One of the regular attendees has written to the local MP Mr John Glen to ask why he has never responded to emails about the vigils:
“You seem to have taken a policy of not responding to these emails. I would be interested in your thoughts on the current situation in Gaza and to learn something of the extent to which you are able to transmit these messages from a group of your constituents to your parliamentary colleagues. As you are my MP, this doesn’t seem a lot to ask. I will put this letter on Salisbury CND’s website and add your reply to it, should such a reply be forthcoming“.
37 aid organisations had their licences revoked on 1st January
January 2026
As if the suffering in Gaza was not enough, the Israeli government has announced the ending of licences for 37 aid organisations operating in Gaza and the West Bank. Unwra has already been banned. The latest batch include major aid organisations without which, much of the life of the Palestinians will become intolerable. They include Médicins sans Frontières who operate in most of what’s left of the hospitals, Norwegian Refugee Council, Action Aid and many others. These provide vital services and importantly provide logistical and distribution services in what is a wrecked environment.
Haaretz has summed up the situation well. Israel has pushed its responsibility onto aid organisations and then carried out a sustained smear campaign accusing them of collaborating with Hamas and placed endless obstacles in the way of bringing in aid including doctors and medical staff. This is the latest step in a policy which has been both ‘cruel and amateurish’ in its treatment of Gaza’s civilian population.
This latest move comes after what are familiar allegations made by Israeli spokespeople such as Amichai Chikli who is Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister. His and his government’s allegations have not been supported by evidence. Since journalists are not allowed into Gaza independent verification of the various claims cannot be made.
High death toll of aid and medical staff
Israel has demanded the names of all staff operating for the aid organisations which they have refused to do. Working in the territory is extremely dangerous. 579 aid workers and 1,700 health workers have been killed since October 7th 2023. 256 journalists have also died sometimes by sniper fire. To provide these names would put staff under extreme risk.
The situation in Gaza is unimaginable. Vast numbers are living in tented communities. Sewage systems have been destroyed. Clean water supplies are limited. Food is scarce. Thousands suffer medical conditions for which they cannot get treatment. Some aid is getting in but nowhere near enough. It may seem absurd but one item which Israel will not allow in is tent poles. These are classed as ‘dual-use’ and clearly means even erecting a tent extremely difficult. However there are reports of some dual-use materials being allowed in by commercial actors in a kind of organised black market system.
Vigils continue
The 109th vigil was held in Salisbury and around 30 attended in what seemed a very quiet City. A video of the vigil is available thanks as ever to Peter Gloyns.
109 vigils but still no sign of the local MP John Glen who is reported to be a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel. He has never referred to the vigils attended by many of his constituents, in his weekly Salisbury Journal piece. He has just become a board member of the Christian organisation Alabare.
Around 30 attended the latest vigil the need for which has not diminished. Indeed it could be argued that the need is greater than ever since the topic has slid from news programmes and reporting. The Ukraine situation remains in the news as missiles and drones continue to rain down on the population there. There is talk of a peace deal and there are some optimistic noises but realistically it seems very unlikely. President Putin can see that the US simply wants the problem to go away and that Europe is too feeble and divided to represent any kind of a threat. Any ‘peace’ deal will be temporary.
Another supposed peace deal the Americans have brokered is Gaza where again reality is a long way from the rhetoric coming out of Washington.
“It is one of the most devastated places on earth” Alessandro Mrakic, head of the UN Development Programmes Gaza Office
Sky News reports that Israel will not allow heavy lifting equipment into Gaza. This obviously means the process of clearing the mountains of rubble cannot begin.
Flooding has hit the area and with people living in tents and makeshift accommodation, life is grim for Palestinians. Amnesty reports that ‘devastation from torrential rains was ‘utterly preventable’ and was fuelled by Israel’s ongoing restrictions on the entry of critical supplies to repair infrastructure’.
Israel has already seized a substantial part of the territory and almost all the cultivable parts. There is fresh evidence that the ‘Yellow Line’ is being quietly extended with fortifications being established beyond it. Satellite images show that around 53% of Gaza is now controlled by Israel. Palestinians coming near are shot by snipers or quadcopters. 414 have now been killed since the ceasefire. The death toll is put at 70,937 according to the The Peninsular Qatar and 171,192 injured. Foreign journalists are not allowed into Gaza and the BBC has reported that the Knesset has passed a law to close down yet more foreign broadcasters.
The need for the vigils continue. The next will be on 3rd January at 5pm.
Latest vigil – the last before Christmas – attracts strong attendance
December 2025
Over 40 attended this latest peace vigil in Salisbury. That we should feel it necessary to continue is an indication that genuine peace in the area does not seem to be on the horizon. The BBC programme World at One during the week has transmitted from the West Bank and Jerusalem and has witnessed some of the violence against Palestinians. The presenter was surprised at young boys going out morning and evening to attack homes and property. Because they are under age they cannot be stopped, touched or in any way prevented without dire consequences it was explained.
The aftermath of the horrific attack on Jews who were killed or injured on Bondi Beach, Australia continues. An uplifting story from the tragedy was the actions of a local man Ahmed al Ahmed who wrestled the gun of one of the attackers. Some of the hardliners interviewed by the BBC seem to imply that all Arabs are motivated by a desire to kill Jews. That there are some cannot be denied in the same way that some Jews want to see all Palestinians killed or removed. But are these the majority? Reports today are of members of a Jewish pro-Palestine group who have been arrested as part of the crackdown on protests by the Labour government. An irony indeed. There are Jewish groups who are in favour of fair treatment of Palestinians one such is Jewish Network for Palestine.
It is noteworthy that this group has called out the support of the BBC for Israel and its genocide. The claim by some Israelis (on one of the BBC interviews mentioned above) that support for a Palestinian state is a ‘reward for terrorism’ is weakened by these Jewish groups. They claim – which is never challenged by the BBC and other media interviewers – that the violence started on the October 7th two years ago, conveniently forgets the horrific violence on Arabs and Palestinians in 1948/49.
The photo of a key is a symbol of when people lost their homes in 1948/49, and latterly in Gaza, kept their keys in the hope of return.
107 vigils attended mostly by local people but no sign of the local MP, Mr John Glen. Neither is there a mention of any of the vigils in his weekly piece in the Salisbury Journal. He is reported to be a member of the Conservatives Friends of Israel group. The link explains the range and power of this underreported organisation.A large number of MPs are members and the question is: why are MPs like Mr Glen members of a lobbying organisation for a single country? Are they not there to a) support their constituents and b) to take impartial decisions in the interests of the UK? What is their attitude to genocide and apartheid?
A good attendance at the 106th vigil in Salisbury with around 40 of us there. We were joined by some by some passers-by which is always encouraging.
News about Gaza has been eclipsed by the continuing war in Ukraine and the appalling attack on Jews on Bondi Beach killing 15 people on Sunday 14th. The Australians say this is not a terrorist attack but the motives remain unclear.
Current Gaza situation
The Catholic Standard reports that ‘blanket bombing has ceased’ although there are still skirmishes and attacks. There is still insufficient aid reaching the strip they report. The UN reports that there is now a risk of flooding with the problem of large numbers living in tents and inadequate accommodation. Al Jazeera has warned of the problems of building collapse. Since many structures are badly damaged if not demolished completely, people are sheltering in dangerous conditions. There is a combination of rain and instability.
The latest death toll is 70,117. More medical facilities are becoming partly functional again the UN reports but nowhere near adequate for the needs of the people living there.
CBS say the talks are at ‘a critical moment’ with only one deceased hostage yet to be handed over to the Israelis. Around 500 have been killed in the last month or so seeking food and a report in Haaretz that IDF soldiers have been told by their commanders to shoot at unarmed [Palestinians] seeking food has been strongly denied by Benjamin Netanyahu and the Defense Secretary Israel Katz as a ‘blood libel’.
A statement by the IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamin saying that the “Yellow Line is a new border line” is a matter of concern. The line with reports of it being fortified, swallows around half of Gaza and cordons off nearly all the arable and cultivable land leaving only sand and the coast for the Palestinians. Any chance of a viable state of Palestine seems remote if this becomes a permanent situation and will only act as a source of future conflict.
There is still no sign of the local MP, Mr John Glen, at any of the 106 vigils nor any mention of them in his weekly column in the Salisbury Journal. He is reported to be a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel lobbying organisation.
The title comes from the 1966 World Cup and in that case the final goal sealed the match. Today, in Gaza the privation and death continue but at a lower level. Vigil 105 was well attended with around 30 including some visitors from Portsmouth. A video, produced by Peter Gloyns can be seen here. We continue because injustice continues, and Israel continues to oppress the Palestinians seemingly without let.
As we noted last week, attention has shifted back to Ukraine which is suffering a steady bombardment from Russia with no realistic or reasonable likelihood of peace on the horizon. From President Putin’s point of view, he seems to have the American ambassador Steve Witkoff where he wants him, the Europeans are too weak and divided to do anything so he can continue the war of attrition for some time to come.
Risk of illusion
The ‘ceasefire’ ‘in Gaza has now been in place for 2 months and since that time, 360 Palestinians have died, 70 of whom were children. Amnesty alleges that Israel is still committing genocide in Gaza but the international attention has diminished much to the relief of the Israeli government. It contends that the very term ‘ceasefire’ ‘risks creating a dangerous illusion that life in Gaza is returning to normal’.
Israel has created a ‘green zone’ which contains most of the arable land and any Palestinian entering it is likely to be shot. The Palestinians have been left with around 40% of their previous territory. The good news is that the number of trucks entering has increased although Unwra is still banned.
The plain fact is that misery still persists with little sign of a realistic end. Negotiations take place but without Palestinians being present. They are still being killed albeit at a lower rate. They share with Ukraine the fact of being a nuisance as far as President Trump and the Americans are concerned. The master deal maker – allegedly – wants the problem solved and ideally for the Palestinians to somehow disappear so the real estate development can start as though no one was there before. Negotiations take place between tyrants with those affected not present.
To note that the local Member of Parliament, Mr John Glen, has never attended a vigil nor referred to them in his weekly column in the local paper. He is reported to be a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel group. We discussed in a previous post the unedifying remarks by the other local MP, Mr Danny Kruger.
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 